Research interests
- Single molecule manipulation techniques
- Mechanical properties of tertiary and secondary protein structures
- Folding and misfolding pathways of individual protein molecules
- Kinetics and thermodynamics of fluctuations between different molecular conformations
- Protein energy landscapes
- Molecular dynamics simulations
Selected publications
- Heidarsson PO, Naqvi MM, Otazo MR, Mossa A, Kragelund BB, and Cecconi C, “Direct single-molecule observation of calcium-dependent misfolding in human neuronal calcium sensor-1”, PNAS, 111 (36):13069-13074, (2014).
- Heidarsson PO, Otazo MR, Bellucci L, Mossa A, Imparato A, Paci E, Corni S, Di Felice R, Kragelund BB, Cecconi C. “Single-Molecule Folding Mechanism of an EF-Hand Neuronal Calcium Sensor.” Structure, 21 (10), 1812-1821, (2013).
- Heidarsson PO, Valpapuram I, Camilloni C, Imparato M, Tiana G, Poulsen FM, Kragelund BB, Cecconi C, “A highly compliant protein native state with a spontaneous-like mechanical unfolding pathway”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134(41), 17068-17065, (2012).
- Shank, E., Cecconi, C., Dill, J., Marqusee, S., Bustamante, C., “The folding cooperativity of a protein is controlled by the topology of its polypeptide chain”, Nature 465 (7298), 637-641, (2010).
- Cecconi, C., Shank, E., Bustamante, C., Marqusee, S., “Direct Observation of the Three-State Folding of a Single Protein Molecule.” Science 309, 2057-2060, (2005).